Free Meditation Made Easy Mini E-Course Five Daily Lessons Copyright 2005 Melissa Leath. All rights reserved. 1
Greetings! My name is Melissa Leath and I want to welcome you to your free "Meditation Made Easy Mini E-Course" Thank you for allowing me to share some ideas on meditation so your life becomes easier. ***************** The Benefits of this Course on Meditation... What you are about to receive are the most focused, practical, and proven secrets for getting started with meditation that I could boil down into just a few short Lessons. I've been meditating for over 30 years and I've found it to be very valuable to me, as I've traveled on my life's journey. Whether you're brand new to meditation and just want to know how to get started or you've been meditating, but haven't been getting the results you want--this mini e-course is perfect for you. Work through your lessons, one per day, for the next five days. After that, I'll also send you other information from time to time about meditation and personal growth that I think will be valuable to you. Thanks again for requesting this mini e-course. "Meditation Made Easy" Mini E-Course... 2
Lesson One If I could sum up meditation in three steps, here's what they would be... Step 1: Relaxation Relaxation is the preliminary stage that almost everyone is aware of. It allows the body to benefit from meditation. All the muscles start to de-stress and blood pressure can be lowered. Scientific studies and research prove that it even lowers heart rate and raises the immune system. Dr. Herbert Benson researched the effects of meditation on the physical body more than 30 years ago. Many of his findings are in well known scientific and medical journals. Realizing that meditation 3
is an antidote to stress, he created what he called the 'relaxation response.' This relaxation response, which many people still use today, is simply focusing the mind on an object or word. It brings about a relaxed feeling, allowing the body to repair itself. Step 2: Quiet Yourself. The second stage is working with the mind. And it may start to fight you at first. The mind likes to be in control. It will bring all kinds of unrelated thoughts to you, when you expected to be thought-free. But the longer you practice, the more you are able to quiet those intruding thoughts. Finally, you are able to sense life as it really is, instead of the way you thought it to be. Sleep comes easier, and the events of the day do not bombard you. It becomes easier to deal with relationships, and there is a deeper sense of awareness and peace. Step 3: Self-less-ness. Next is the Spirit stage. This is the place that I describe in Meditation, Plain and Simple Workbook, as the point when your mind and body seem to fade away. You loose sense of your self and move into a more universal awareness. 4
There will come during the meditation practice, a few moments that you will recognize a total connection between you and the universe. You will loose any linear sensing and become more enlightened. At this point, you have reached full, true meditation. Enjoy... That's it for Lesson #1. Come back tomorrow for Lesson Two on the next page. Again, thanks for ordering your Free Meditation Made Easy Mini E-Course and know that by choosing to go through this material, you're learning that meditation really can be effortless and easy. With meditation you can make big steps toward making positive changes in your life! 5
Lesson Two One of the things that the majority of folks find the most challenging about meditation is that it seems so difficult. There is so much misunderstanding when it comes to meditation. It truly is one of the easiest things you can do. It is as natural as breathing, as natural as watching a beautiful sunset, as natural as smelling popcorn in the movie theater. You see, anything you instinctively focus on for more than a moment becomes your meditative moment. It truly is that simple. As you become more familiar with the basics of meditating, then you can incorporate other techniques to expand the experience. Or you can keep it plain and simple. It's totally up to you. It is solely your experience. No one can dictate what it is supposed to be to you. Allow it to be what it is. That is the practice of it. 6
There is only ease with meditation. If it becomes difficult or complicated, then it isn't meditation any longer, but a forced, controlled response. Control may be good for some things, but not meditation. That's it for lesson two. Check back tomorrow for your next lesson. 7
Lesson Three A little known secret about meditation is the importance of using the breath. The breath brings in much needed oxygen, as well as, prana (universal life energy) to facilitate life. Breathing animates the body, mind and spirit, and is considered a basic and needed technique in a meditation practice. There are many breathing exercises associated with meditation, and they are all valid, dynamic methods. However, the most effective meditation is done without trying to control the breath. Allow the flow of air to go in and out naturally, not forced. Just observe the breathing. Soon, you will notice that the space between the inhaling and exhaling becomes longer. Experience this space of time. 8
These few moments begin to move the meditator (you) into a deeper state of peace. As this calmness comes over you, an advanced place of meditation brings you to realize the breathing becomes so shallow that it hardly seems necessary. This lesson is complete. Please continue to the next page for Lesson 4. 9
Lesson Four Perhaps one of the biggest reasons that people fail in meditating is......they are always expecting something to happen. What I've discovered is-- the more you expect something to happen, guess what? It won't happen! Everyone seems to be in such a hurry these days: Always rushing here and there, planning ahead for the weekend, to have everything done in time to start it all over again. 10
It doesn't work that way in meditation. Sitting for meditation is slow and deliberate. Take your time. Be open and willing. Accept the experience as your meditation. As soon as you expect, you cannot accept. The one thing you can expect to happen is this: nothing. Then, if there is anything else, after that---how wonderful! Blessing to you until tomorrow... 11
WOW! Can you believe it? We're up to lesson five in our "Meditation Made Easy" mini e-course. As always, I hope you're enjoying the information about meditation. Lesson Five If you've been wondering what it takes to succeed in meditation --- It's really simple and it's only two things: Commitment and Consistency When I found out what meditation was all about, I knew it was for me. It was something that I needed in my life. I read all I could about it; I talked to as many people as I could about it; I went to workshops about it. But nothing really happened as far as meditation goes, until I made a commitment to do it, and do it regularly. 12
Many of us have issues about commitment. For one reason or the other, we are fearful of making a promise that is so final. "What if I forget?" "Maybe I won't be any good at it," "What if I change my mind, or just don't like Meditation?" Well, I guess you'll never know if you don't ever do it. No one has ever succeeded at anything until they decided to do it. ---That's commitment. A dear friend told me once that you might think about doing something for days, or weeks, or months. But you never really decide to do it until that one small moment when you make the commitment. At that one moment, you have taken a step forward. Then, it is important to put forth the effort, to continue with that decision. The thing is---when you go forward in a project or new path in your life, your mind and body will need some time to adjust. The more you do something, the more you create a routine. Your mind won't fight you, because it gets used to it. And your body starts to enjoy or feel comfort in this new custom. Making the decision to commit to meditation and then consistently following through with the practice is the most important thing to succeeding. This and other basic but powerful tips and exercises can be found in Meditation Success Package. 13
********************************************************** This course is provided at no charge and is based on the ideas in "Meditation Success Package." Copyright 2005 Melissa Leath All rights reserved. ****************************** I have greatly appreciated your participation in my Meditation Made Easy Mini E-Course and hope that you have gained some practical techniques and ideas to help you start meditating. Know that by choosing to go through this material, you have taken a big step forward in making positive changes in your life! You are now ready to continue in Meditation Basics and will benefit greatly by ordering my Meditation Success Package. Just because this is the last of the free lessons on meditation, I want you to know that I won't forget about you. I'll send you an email from time to time when I have an insight or some information I think might be helpful to you either about meditation or personal and spiritual growth. I wish you all the best. Peace and Blessings, Melissa Leath 14
****************************************************** About Melissa Leath: Melissa is a Meditation Teacher, Personal Growth Counselor, Intuitive-Spiritual Medium, Metaphysical Minister/Counselor and Reiki Healing Practitioner from Ohio. She regularly counsels, coaches and works with people from all over the USA, Canada and around the world in the areas of personal and family life, business and career, finances, marriage and love, and spiritual & personal growth. Your questions are welcome and encouraged. You may also email her at mypath1@hotmail.com, or call 937-323- 5346 to schedule an appointment. WAIT!!! THAT S NOT ALL I HAVE FOR YOU Take A Look At Four Tips I Have Added For You. 1. Are you having fun, yet? 15 Meditation doesn't have to be a drudge. Keep it light. If it seems
2. like a chore, then look for another avenue to meditation. Don't skip a day, because you don't feel like it. Just find another way of doing your practice. This time, take a walk. Not a big, long hike; just a short sweet stroll. BUT, concentrate on where your feet are going. Don't enjoy the scenery, this time. Just pay attention to your feet. Feel them as they move through the grass, or the mud, or the sand, or the rain. Sense how the shoes feel on your feet. Now, start to feel the rhythm that your steps are making. Flow with that beat. That is the natural flow of your essence. This is now your meditation. It's just that easy. Allow it to be that easy. 3. Let's try a new exercise. You can actually do it right now as you read this. Sit back in your seat. Take a big, clearing breath... Quickly blow the cares of the day out through your mouth. As you sit there, reading this message, listen to everything around you. If it's early in the morning, you may hear fresh sounds outside, like children getting on the school bus, or a trash truck coming down the street, with its screeching brakes. Or listen at night, when the train whistles sound different. Hear the inside sounds, as well: the furnace or air conditioner blowing, the television in the other room, the sound of the computer running, the pet dog clicking on the tile floor as he walks in the kitchen, or the ticking of the clock. 16
There are many wonderful sounds in your life, if only you take a few minutes to hear them. This exercise is one that can heighten your awareness. It helps you be more 'present' in the world in which you are living, in order to see things the way they truly are, and help in decision-making. I encourage you to take a few minutes everyday to do your listening meditation. 4. Small things count. Just ask the sunflower seed. Who would ever think that something so small could turn out to become something so big and beautiful? That's the way it is with your meditation practice. You may prefer to meditate in short spurts: five minutes here, ten minutes there. Perfect! It's not important to become a yogi and meditate for three hours. The small, short meditative moments are just as effective as a long session. What is important is this: that you do it. However you feel comfortable with meditation, please just do it. You have already made a commitment to yourself. You've come this far. Keep it up, you're doing fine. 17
If you need help and would like me to coach you on any aspect of your personal growth, please contact me. Melissa Leath, Meditation Teacher & Personal Growth Counselor http://www.melissaleath.com mailto:mypath1@hotmail.com 18